


Fight Like a Woman

by mmouse15



Category: Captain America (Movies)
Genre: Gen, Pre-Serum Steve Rogers, Women Being Awesome
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-08
Updated: 2019-12-08
Packaged: 2021-02-25 22:54:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,079
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21713329
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mmouse15/pseuds/mmouse15
Summary: What if Peggy Carter really DID teach Steve Rogers how to fight?
Comments: 2
Kudos: 13





	Fight Like a Woman

**Author's Note:**

  * For [HunterPeverell](https://archiveofourown.org/users/HunterPeverell/gifts).



> This is based on a prompt located here: https://ravenclawpotionsqueen.tumblr.com/post/188701871174
> 
> I was looking for prompts to write to get my 50k words for NaNo, and this one popped up. It was fun to write, and I hope you enjoy reading it.

Agent Carter looked out over the group of men doing their calisthenics. Colonel Phillips came up next to her and asked, "Well?"

"Some of them are not worth our time," she replied crisply. "However, there are a couple that are quite interesting."

"Uh-huh," Phillips muttered and left Agent Carter to her observations. 

Later they got together and started going over the list.

Colonel Phillips said, "I like Hodges. He's a good strong man, he would do well."

Dr. Erskine shook his head, "Hodges is a bully. He will try to bulldoze his way through life. He is the worst candidate out there."

"Agreed," Agent Carter said. "Not Hodges. Nor Scott. Both are insufferable."

"Rogers, however," Erskine started.

"Enough," Phillips barked. "He's a scrawny wash up. I don't like that you brought him in. He can't even do a pushup!"

Carter let her tongue peek through her lips, moistening them, before replying, "He doesn't give up, though. Even with Hodges, and Scott, and Smith, and all the other men doing their best to stop him, he doesn't give up."

"Hmph," Phillips grunted, "Well, I'll give you that. But I don't think he's the right choice for this program."

Erskine shook his head, "You think about this the wrong way, Chester. You think a strong man will make a super man. But those that have always had strength do not have tolerance for those that are weak or unable. They are impatient with the lack of ability. A weak man who becomes strong knows the value of that strength and will use it for helping others. That is why I chose him."

Phillips sat back and studied Erskine for a long moment before saying, "I still want them to finish this six weeks of training."

"Agreed," Erskine replied. "It will show us much about the kind of men they are."

"Carter, make notes about how they treat their fellow men," Phillips ordered.

"I already do, sir," Peggy replied, tilting her chin up.

Phillips glared at her, then sighed and said, "And what do you think?"

"I feel that Dr. Erskine has a better feel for the type of man that will react well to his serum."

Phillips arched his eyebrow and said, "Uh-huh. Cut the bullshit."

Peggy grinned at him, "I don't like Hodges at all. He really is a bully and looks down upon those he feels are lesser."

Phillips nodded and said, "Nice right hook, by the way."

"Thank you, sir."

"Alright, dismissed. Tomorrow is the run by the flagpole. We'll see what we get out of that exercise."

"Yes, sir," Peggy and Erskine replied and left Phillips' office.

Outside, Dr. Erskine drew a deep breath and said quietly, "Keep an eye on the little guy, please."

"I will," Peggy replied.

After the clever thinking shown by Steve Rogers at the flagpole, Peggy sought him out. He was under a tree, leaning against the trunk, a book open on his lap and a pencil in his hand. On closer examination, she could see that it was a sketchbook, the cheap kind sold at five and dime stores. He was sketching, but when he caught sight of her coming towards him, he slipped the pencil into the book and closed it.

"Private Rogers," she said, coming to a halt a few feet away.

"Agent Carter," he returned, scrambling to his feet and saluting her.

She returned the salute and dropped her hand. Rogers fell into parade rest, waiting.

"At ease, private," she told him. "I have noticed that you are, ah, not well liked by your fellow soldiers."

Rogers looked at her before carefully replying, "It's nothing I can't handle, Agent."

"Indeed, Private, I'm sure of that. But I thought I might offer some tips, if you're interested."

Rogers chewed his lip as he thought. Peggy waited patiently. Finally, he shifted and said, "You do have a great hook punch, Agent."

Peggy smiled briefly and replied, "I have had to learn to defend myself, Private Rogers."

"Yes, ma'am, and you seem to have learned well," Rogers offered.

"Would you like to learn?" she asked.

Rogers tipped his head back, looking up at the tree's limbs. He dropped his head and said, "Bucky...my friend tried to teach me. That didn't go so well."

"Yes, well, I would imagine that your friend is another strapping young man."

"Yes, ma'am, he is." Rogers replied.

"Right. The thing is, you are NOT a strapping man. You need to learn to use your size to your advantage, and trying to fight men on their terms means you will lose more often than not."

"Or all the time," muttered Rogers.

"Yes. So, are you willing to learn from me?" Peggy asked.

Steve Rogers looked her in the eye and nodded, "Yes, I am."

"Excellent. We have an hour before call to quarters. Shall we begin?"

Rogers set his sketchbook against the tree and nodded.

Peggy grinned and started, "The first thing you need to learn is that your size is an advantage…"

Fifty minutes later, they were both sweaty and flushed, but Steve could successfully take her down by bending his knees, putting his shoulder into her abdomen, and coming back up.

"Excellent, Private Rogers. Same time tomorrow?" Peggy asked, pushing her hair back.

"Yes, ma'am, Agent Carter. I'll be here," Rogers replied.

"Good," Peggy nodded as she strode off.

The next night, she brought a friend with her. Corporal Tweedy was a young man from the South, and his dark skin meant that he would never rise high in the ranks. However, he and Peggy had come to an understanding, and he was always willing to help Peggy when she needed.

"Private Rogers, this is my friend, Corporal Tweedy. Corporal Tweedy will be helping us by pretending to attack you. It will be easier for me to help you achieve correct form if I am not playing attacker and coach."

"Yes, Agent Carter," Roger replied.

"Now, please do not hurt my friend, and let us begin," Peggy stood back and watched as Tweedy came forward, his arm raised as if to punch Rogers. As Peggy had taught him, Rogers ducked under Tweedy's fist and put his shoulder into his abdomen, pushing up and back. Tweedy neatly flipped over Rogers' shoulder and landed flat on his back, his arms outspread to soften the landing.

"Excellent form, Private. Good landing, Corporal. Questions?"

Rogers was looking shocked at his success, but offered his hand to Tweedy and helped pull him to his feet.

"No, Agent," Rogers replied.

"Corporal, do you mind continuing?" Peggy asked.

"No, ma'am, I'm happy to help." Tweedy replied.

"Thank you, Corporal. Let's try again, perhaps a little faster?"

After several flips and falls, Peggy called a halt.

"Corporal, thank you very much," Peggy held out her hand, and the corporal shook it.

"You're welcome, Agent Carter."

Rogers stepped forward then, "I want to thank you, too, Corporal. I appreciate your help." He offered his hand, and the corporal looked at him before slowly reaching out and clasping Rogers' hand. Rogers gave him a good shake and a smile before releasing the corporal's hand. 

Stepping back, Corporal Tweedy said, "Not many men would shake my hand, Private."

"Then they're wrong, Corporal," Rogers replied, "You stepped in to help me, and telling you I appreciated it was the right thing to do. Shaking your hand was also the right thing to do."

Corporal Tweedy shook his head. "I wish more white men thought like you."

"I do, too," Rogers replied.

Peggy watched them part, Corporal Tweedy heading back to the kitchen where he bunked, and Private Rogers turning toward his quarters.

"Same time tomorrow, Private?" she called after him.

He turned and threw her a salute and said, "Yes, Agent!"

Peggy turned toward her own quarters. She needed to write down her observations.

The next evening, Peggy met with Steve and told him, "Private, the other thing I need to teach you is that anything, anything at all, can be a weapon."

She took him to the kitchens, where Corporal Tweedy was waiting with some old dishes, cracks and chips evident on each of the pieces.

"We are going to throw these away, and so I thought we could use them as training tools," Peggy told them. She pointed to the bulletin board near the door. "Pretend that is your attacker. What do you do?"

Steve looked at her, then at the dishes, and finally at the board. "I have no idea?"

"Right," Peggy said, "let me show you." She picked up a plate, curled her hand around it, pulled it to the opposite side of her body, then flung it at the bulletin board. The plate soared through the air and smashed against the board. Peggy was already moving toward the board, her fingers clenched into claws and her nails pointed toward the board. Steve and Corporal Tweedy had both stepped back.

"That's what you do," Peggy told them. "Do not give them any time to recover. Pick up whatever is lying around and use it."

Steve nodded, and then picked up a plate. Peggy showed him how to hold it, then stood back and let Steve throw it. His first throw was pitiful and went five feet before hitting the floor and shattering. His next try went a little further, and on his fourth try, he hit the board he'd been aiming for.

"Stop being afraid, " Peggy instructed. "They are going to hurt you. Hurt them first, hurt them hard, and don't stop until they're no longer trying to hurt you."

Steve nodded and grabbed another plate. This time, he flung it as hard as he could and watched as it shattered satisfyingly against the wall.

"Yes! Very good, Private!" Peggy exclaimed, "Now, follow up! Don't hesitate!"

Corporal Tweedy kindly moved into position, and Steve charged at him, remembering to get low and put his shoulder to Tweedy's abdomen. He didn't flip the poor man, since landing on the wooden floor would not be comfortable, but he'd done enough to understand the mechanics of Peggy's instructions.

When they were done, Steve grabbed a broom while Peggy got the dustpan, and they cleaned up the mess they'd made in the room. They bid the corporal a good night and started walking toward Steve's quarters.

"Good work, Private. I think you'll do well in fights from now on," Peggy told him.

"Thank you, Agent Carter," Steve replied, climbing the stairs up to his barracks.

Peggy's training of Private Rogers continued for another couple of weeks, until it was time to make the decision of which soldier to choose for the test of the super serum. The men were on the parade ground doing their calisthenics. Rogers still struggled with pushups, losing form after ten or so, which was an improvement from his arrival six weeks before.

Phillips surprised her by throwing out a grenade into the cluster of men and yelling "Grenade!". She began moving forward, her training kicking in, while most of the men dove behind vehicles. Rogers moved forward, though, throwing himself on the grenade and curling around it. He halted Peggy in her tracks, since he was closer. 

Phillips then yelled, "Dummy! It was a dummy!"

Rogers uncurled slightly, peering around as he asked, "Was this a test?"

Peggy looked over at Phillips and Erskine. Phillips muttered, "He's still scrawny," before walking away. Peggy exchanged a quick glance at Erskine before turning toward the men to get them back into ranks.

Of course, Peggy had not actually expected the serum to work. The Steve Rogers that came out of the tube bore little resemblance to the small man that had entered. He was big, and muscular, and fast. She had to move on to other matters, but when they met up again, she was appalled. Senator Brandt had made him into a cartoonish spokesman for selling liberty bonds, when he was capable of so much more. She was nearby when Steve found out about his friend Barnes, and offered help to get him to the fortress where the tattered remains of the 107th and other units were thought to be held.

Many months later, she joined Captain America and the Howling Commandos on a raid, and watched in amazement as Rogers used all the tricks she'd taught him against his opponents. He fought dirty and fast, taking Hydra soldiers out quickly and with extreme prejudice. She smiled to herself. She'd done well.


End file.
